More than a dozen people from property consultancy Knight Frank joined forces to clean up parts of Bristol’s Floating Harbour – both on and off dry land – and help three local charities in the process.
As part of the firm’s nationwide global awareness day members of Knight Frank’s Bristol team, who are based at offices on Whiteladies Road, came together to pick up plastic and litter from the dockside in conjunction with charity Friends of River Avon New Cut.
They then took to the water for a ‘litter-picking cruise’ to collect litter on behalf of the Underfall Yard and All Aboard Watersports charities.
Knight Frank volunteer Nick Snowden said: “We give our time on a regular basis to help our local communities and felt that helping to highlight the amount of plastic that is thrown away around the Floating Harbour would be well worth doing.
“Whilst the day initially intended to highlight plastic waste, the Knight Frank team was also quick to fill recycling bags for tin cans, glass and an alarming amount of non-recyclable landfill, highlighting the impact of litter around the docks.
“We are fantastically lucky in Bristol to have such a fabulous amenity as the Floating Harbour right in the centre of the city, so we were very happy to roll up our sleeves to help enhance it – and support the charities that work so hard to bring its attractions to the general public.”
All Aboard Watersports was one of three charities based at Underfall Yard to be involved in and benefit from the Knight Frank tidy-up effort. Centre manager Jenny Haworth said: “We work closely with local schools, support groups & care homes to allow everybody and anybody who would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience Bristol from the water. We have a range of adaptive equipment to accommodate those with physical disabilities, and our instructors are all trained in assisting those with any level of physical or mental difficulty.
“Occasionally we receive funding to allow us to deliver various projects, such as Rocking The Boat, an inter-generational boat-building project aimed at tackling loneliness in Bristol. The eight-week project combines learning new skills under the careful guidance of our in-house boat builder, with social activities such as kayaking, sailing and powerboating.
“Our commercial activities support the work that we do to break down barriers and enable everybody to get out on the water, and the reward comes from seeing the faces of people who have experienced something they had never thought would be possible.”
Underfall Yard is managed by the Underfall Yard Trust, which rescued the Underfall slipway and buildings from dereliction in the 1990s, with support from Bristol City Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the South West Regional Development Authority and volunteers.
Following the restoration, the yard was set up as a working boatyard with tenants, including a number of start-up small enterprises. Underfall Yard is now home to many different maritime-related businesses, as well as several clubs and organisations focused around water activities. All income from the tenants and the slipway is put back into maintaining the yard and buildings.
Friends of the Avon New Cut was formed by a group of local people in 2006 to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the Avon New Cut including its history, geology and wildlife and its role in the development of Bristol’s Floating Harbour.
